Updated 3:00am 26 May 2013

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Paul Dale

Paul Dale

Resurgent Labour has Tory/LibDem coalition worried in Birmingham

Public Affairs Correspondent Paul Dale reflects on a lively local election result night in Birmingham and how it has changed the city’s politics.Read

Birmingham City Council's Conservative Lib Dem coalition in crisis

Shell-shocked Birmingham Conservatives are at each other’s throats, fearing a collapse of their seven-year city council coalition with the Liberal Democrats, given the scale of last week’s hammering dished out to Tory candidates at the local elections. Read

Birmingham Lib Dem leader uses Hitler analogy to dismiss pact with Labour

Birmingham’s top Liberal Democrat has ruled out joining forces with Labour to run the city council – claiming a deal would be like Winston Churchill making friends with Adolf Hitler after the Second World War.Read

City council drops plans to make public and journalists bow to Lord Mayor

A PLAN requiring the public and journalists to bow to the Lord Mayor of Birmingham at city council meetings has been dropped.Read

Birmingham City Council halts plans for 7% cut in fees to care homes

Birmingham social services bosses have backed away from a plan to cut fees paid to residential and nursing home owners by seven per cent.Read

Iron Angle: Compulsory purchase order problems down in Digbeth

As Birmingham’s Con-Lib Dem coalition runs down towards the end of its natural life, the Progressive Partnership is beginning to risk imploding in a wailing frenzy of blaming the media for failing to recognise its brilliance.Read

Birmingham must show its support for high speed rail link, urges campaign leader

The high speed rail line will be “dead in the water” if Birmingham and the West Midlands doesn’t come out fighting in favour, the man responsible for promoting the £17 billion scheme has warned.Read

Birmingham City Council budget plans need rethink after court rulings

Birmingham City Council is under growing pressure to stop targeting spending cuts on front-line social care and voluntary groups after being heavily criticised in two High Court decisions.Read

Iron Angle: Birmingham City Council's bad day in court

M’learned friends have been having a great deal of fun, not to mention trousering some serious cash, at the expense of Birmingham City Council lately thanks to two judicial reviews that went seriously wrong for Britain’s largest public body.Read

Birmingham City Council offers loans to staff hit by shift payment loss

Birmingham City Council is offering loans of up to £20,000 to staff who have been hit by the abolition of overtime and special shift payments.Read

Iron Angle: Mike Whitby's big decision over council allies

A proposition of exquisite irony awaits Birmingham Conservatives, who have it within their grasp to take sole control of the city council – but only if they are prepared to sacrifice both their principles and their friends.Read

Birmingham City Council social care cuts ruled unlawful by High Court

Birmingham Social Services is facing a fresh funding crisis after a High Court judge ruled a controversial cost-cutting plan to be unlawful.Read

Birmingham MP's bid to expose stars who obtain gagging orders

Birmingham MP John Hemming is launching a wide-ranging inquiry which could expose about 30 football stars, well-known personalities and local government officials who have obtained secret gagging orders in the courts.Read

Birmingham MP's bid to expose stars who obtain gagging orders

Birmingham MP John Hemming is launching a wide-ranging inquiry which could expose about 30 football stars, well-known personalities and local government officials who have obtained secret gagging orders in the courts.Read

Families begin legal battle against Birmingham City Council over cuts

Four severely disabled adults have begun a legal battle against Birmingham City Council in an attempt to overthrow a £53 million cuts package.Read

Families begin legal battle against Birmingham City Council over cuts

Four severely disabled adults have begun a legal battle against Birmingham City Council in an attempt to overthrow a £53 million cuts package.Read

Birmingham Children's Services still a cause for concern

Significant concerns have been raised over the protection of children from physical and sexual abuse in Birmingham, it can be revealed.Read

Iron Angle: Labour election leaflet a fat lot of good

Speaking as someone who has spent his entire adult life engaged in a losing battle against being on the wrong side of well-built, I instinctively sympathise with Birmingham Tory council candidate Gary Sambrook, who has been lampooned as a fat, greedy free-loader by his Labour opponents.Read

No guarantees over Birmingham Airport runway extension despite RGF cash

Birmingham Airport’s long-awaited runway extension moved a step closer after a crucial part of a £65 million funding package was confirmed.Read

Labour to choose Birmingham mayor candidate after referendum

Labour is likely to wait for at least another year before selecting a candidate to run for elected mayor of Birmingham, the Post has learned.Read

Author Profile

Paul Dale has been writing about local government in the West Midlands for more than 20 years. The Post's public affairs editor, he is a previous political editor of the Coventry Evening Telegraph and Local Government Correspondent of the Oxford Mail.